Romney jets in for London Olympics

LONDON — US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney arrived in Britain on Wednesday for a three-day trip which will take in the London Olympic Games opening ceremony and a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron.

Republican governor Romney and his wife Ann arrived early Wednesday, his press officer confirmed, as final preparations were being made for the ceremony which takes place on Friday.

Before the festivities, the governor will hit the campaign trail holding high-profile talks with Britain’s leaders and meetings with US Olympic athletes.

He is due to hold talks with Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, foreign minister William Hague and finance minister George Osborne on Thursday.

Opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband, former prime minister Tony Blair and Irish leader Enda Kenny are are also due to meet with Romney before he jets off to Israel on Sunday.

It was also reported that he will host fundraising dinners for his supporters in London.

The start of Romney’s foreign tour was overshadowed at home by a reported remark by an aide that President Barack Obama does not understand the “Anglo-Saxon heritage” shared by Britain and the United States.

The Republican White House hopeful’s campaign scrambled to deny that one of its operatives had told British newspaper the Daily Telegraph that Romney, unlike Obama, understands the “Anglo-Saxon heritage” underpinning the so-called special relationship with Britain.

Romney campaign spokeswoman Amanda Hennenberg said in a statement that the British report was mistaken.

“It’s not true,” she said. “If anyone said that, they weren’t reflecting the views of governor Romney or anyone inside the campaign.”